Chicken Qorma
چکن قورمہ
Qorma is the dish that sits next to biryani at almost every Pakistani wedding, and the chicken version is the one most homes make for guests. Unlike a tomato , its gravy is built on yogurt and fried onions ground to a paste, which gives it a deep brown colour, a gentle sweetness and very little sourness. The secret is patient after the yogurt goes in, until the oil rises to the top.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 10 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 50 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Heat the oil in a heavy over medium heat. Fry the onions for 12–15 minutes, stirring often, until evenly golden brown. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and spread on a plate; they will crisp as they cool into . Keep the oil in the pot.
Keep a tablespoon of birista aside for garnish. Blend the rest with the yogurt to a smooth, light brown paste.
Reheat the oil and add the cloves, both cardamoms, cinnamon and bay leaves. Once they puff and smell fragrant (about 30 seconds), add the chicken and the ginger and garlic paste and fry on high heat for 5–7 minutes until the chicken turns white.
Turn the heat to low and add the chili powder, coriander powder and salt, then stir in the yogurt and onion paste. Raise the heat to medium and do the for 10–12 minutes, stirring constantly, until the masala darkens and the oil separates.
Add the hot water, cover and cook on low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the gravy has thickened.
Sprinkle in the garam masala and the kewra, if using. Cover and leave on the lowest heat for 5 minutes, until a layer of oil floats on top.
Scatter over the reserved birista and serve hot with naan, sheermal or alongside biryani.
Kitchen notes
Fry the onions evenly golden brown, not dark. Burnt onions make the whole qorma bitter, and there is no fixing it afterwards.
Lower the heat before adding yogurt and stir straight away. Yogurt dropped into very hot oil can split into grainy bits.
Kewra is strong. Two or three drops perfume the whole pot; more tastes soapy.
The wedding qorma
At a Pakistani wedding, the main table almost always has two things: biryani and qorma. The dish came out of Mughal kitchens, where qorma meant meat braised in yogurt and spices, and it has stayed the mark of a celebration. Chicken qorma is the quicker, lighter version that home cooks turn to for dawats and Eid lunches when mutton feels like too much work.
Fried onions and yogurt
The flavour of a qorma comes from onions fried to a deep golden brown and then ground with yogurt. This paste does three jobs: it thickens the gravy without tomatoes, gives it the classic brown colour, and adds a mellow sweetness that balances the chili. Taking the onions out once they are browned stops them from burning while the chicken cooks.
The second key step is the after the paste goes in. Keep stirring on medium heat until the masala darkens and the oil visibly separates. Stopping too early leaves a raw yogurt taste; that oil layer on top is the sign of a properly cooked qorma. Whole spices fried at the start (the ) perfume the oil, and a final pinch of garam masala and a few drops of lift the aroma at the end.
Variations
- Shahi qorma: add ground almonds and a few tablespoons of cream for a richer, paler gravy.
- Lucknowi touch: a pinch of saffron soaked in warm milk with the kewra.
- Mutton: use the same method with mutton and a longer, slower cook; see our mutton qorma.
Storing and serving
Qorma tastes even better the next day once the spices settle. It keeps in the fridge for 3 days; reheat on low heat with a splash of water. Serve with naan, sheermal or taftan, or next to biryani and raita for a full wedding-style spread.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between qorma and salan?
A salan is usually built on tomatoes and onions and can be thin or thick. Qorma uses yogurt and fried onions instead of tomatoes, with whole spices, giving a richer, milder and slightly sweet gravy with oil on top.
Can I use shop-bought fried onions?
Yes, packaged fried onions save time. Use about 1.5 cups and blend them with the yogurt as above, but taste for salt since some brands are salted.
Can I add almonds?
Many wedding cooks do. Soak 10–12 almonds, peel and grind them with the yogurt and onions; they make the gravy creamier and thicker.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 480
- Protein
- 32 g
- Fat
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
